The thrift party returns at 2023’s first Manhattan Vintage Show

Linsey Liao, Jennifer Ren, and Jen Lee

The Manhattan Vintage Show is the largest collection of vintage vendors in New York City. Its first show of 2023, on Feb. 3 at the Metropolitan Pavilion, featured over 90 dealers and their collections of vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories.

Linsey Liao, WSN: Hi, everyone. Today, we’re at the Manhattan Vintage Show in Midtown. This is the largest collection of vintage vendors in New York City, and it runs through select weekends and times every year. It is Feb. 3 at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Over 90 dealers showcase their collections of vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories that reflect every era and style, which have attracted both old and new customers.

Mackenzie Mendez, show attendee: I’ve been coming here for three years now. I come every time they are back in town, because it’s just the best. This place has all the vendors from all over New York in one place, so it’s just like a one-stop shop.

Liao: Can you tell us about or show us a piece that you bought today?

Mendez: Sure. I bought this vintage T-shirt that I think is so cute. It says, “You can’t take it with you, but I’ll let you hold it for a while.”

kHyal, show attendee: I just have one name, which is trademarked, and my brand is MegaGlam, as you can see on my hat. I come here every year to scope out what’s unique, and I look for things like [what] I’m wearing, that are very bright and different.

Oleg Mindiak, show attendee: I’m here because I love fashion — I think everyone here does. And I need more red in my life.

Liao: That’s so cool. Can you give us a fit check today? Like the brand, or where you got everything?

Mindiak: Everything is second-hand. Everything is more or less eBay. Like a 1920s beaded bag. My friend sold me this from the ’70s. Thank god he did — I begged him.

Liao: Amy Abrams, a co-founder of Shop Extraordinary Enterprises, is a visionary entrepreneur who brings people together while helping independent creators launch and grow their businesses.

Amy Abrams, co-owner of the Manhattan Vintage Show: I have a couple of businesses that are in support of people who sell vintage, or things that they create or make. Those include Artists & Fleas, Regeneration, and the Manhattan Vintage Show, where we’re standing. My entire career has been categorized by creating environments where people can come together to sell, shop and sort of discover something they couldn’t live without.

Abrams: I also just genuinely believe there’s nothing like buying things in person and touching and feeling. Maybe you’re coming to the show because you want a new coat, and then you turn around, and this insanely sparkly sequin dress catches your eye, and you have that moment where you’re like, “Wait, that is me!” I can’t live without that. Then you try it on and look in the mirror and you see yourself the way you want the world to see you. So I just want more and more opportunities for people to have that. I just want to have more and more people know about us, come and support all of these small businesses, and find vintage treasures they can’t live without.

Aviva Chill, vendor: It’s very diverse, where you can find stuff, but thrift searching — it’s always really exciting to sift and sift, and then you find like a treasure. It’s really fun and exciting.

Aurora Jarzombek, vendor: My collection is based on my childhood. We lived on the road in a bus. We would wear our little overalls, so everything had to be really rugged and roadworthy, but also when you have just a little drawer to keep your clothes in, they have to be fun and lovable because you’re wearing them every day.

Allison Ward, vendor: I consider this the Olympics of vintage. It’s the best of the best. Everybody brings their finest pieces. It’s like a museum. It’s wonderful to watch women invest in themselves. My goal is to find pieces that empower you, to make you feel your best, to make you feel magical. Things that you want for yourself and that you’ll pass on forever.

Ward: This piece is from the 1920s. It’s a gift that I gave myself for my 50th birthday — which is this year — and it’s got 100 years of Leo energy in it. And these just make me feel my best. This is a family piece, and these are pieces that literally would have hurt to sell. I just go with instinct — if you see something and you respond to it, then that’s your style. Jewelry is so personal. I think that’s the best way to approach it.

Liao: With vintage icons and dealers, the beloved Manhattan Vintage Show will return in April and October. Reporting for the Washington Square News, Linsey Liao.

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